National Braille Week

National Braille Week organised by the charity Royal Blind is held in the second week of October every year – this year celebrated from 9-15 October 2017

Read our ideas to help with braille teaching and learning.

Professional development

Learning braille

Teachers, teaching assistants and support workers, who support individuals using braille can learn to read and write braille by doing RNIB’s distance learning course. Parents are also welcome to take the course which leads to an RNIB Certificate in Contracted Braille.

The course provides tuition in how to read and write contracted Unified English braille. No prior knowledge of braille is required.

Students receive all the materials and tuition needed to complete the course, plus one opportunity to take a final examination. The course takes 12 months and starts in May and October each year.

RNIB Cymru run a reading and writing Welsh braille course. The course is also accessible to non Welsh speakers who want to learn Welsh braille. There is also a library of Welsh books in braille and a catalogue is available on request. For more information about Welsh braille, contact RNIB Cymru on telephone 029 2045 0440 or email accessibleinfocymru@rnib.org.uk

The online course follows a structured timetable and requires about 80 hours of study plus attendance at one training day at the start. All course materials are studied online using the Moodle virtual learning environment.

Students also select two specialist options – can choose to become more expert in braille for maths, science or modern languages, braille for late beginners, or learners with additional needs, or English as an additional language.

Training for teaching assistants

The “Understanding visual impairment in children and young people course” is an opportunity to develop teaching assistants’ understanding of the issues affecting learners with a vision impairment. Helps professionals and parents to improve the quality of learning opportunities. You set your own pace. Delivered online. Includes assessment activities leading to an RNIB certificate. Cost: £140 for VIEW members (£200 for non members). Enrol at any time.

Teaching assistants can gain a level 3 BTEC with the Partners in Learning course developed by RNIB and the Open University. Online study and discussion activities plus two face-to-face training days. Study six units over 12 months in a supportive group. Next course begins February 2018. Cost: £750 for VIEW members (£850 for non members).

Network with colleagues supporting braillists

RNIB/VIEW Braille Network days provide an important opportunity to keep yourself up to date with good practice. Come together to share teaching techniques and resources for blind learners and to meet other people with similar interests and concerns.

Teachbraillists is a UK-based email discussion group. It is for discussing all issues relating to the teaching of learners who have the most severe vision impairment and are, or are going to be, braille users. Join the Teachbraillists list to become part of this practical information-sharing forum. TheTeachBraillists forum is managed by RNIB.

You’ll find links to lots of classroom resources and information about sourcing reading materials on the curriculum resources page of RNIB’s web pages for education professionals. These are handy links to share with school staff.

Read a review from VIEW member Alison Arnold of an American resource called Read naturally, which aims to increase the reading fluency of children who read braille.

VIEW member, Julie Plant, recommends the raised line drawing board, which enables learners to produce raised line diagrams with a normal pen or pencil and paper, that is without having to use embossing film. The raised line drawing board is available for approximately 15 US dollars from The Braille Superstore, a family-owned business supplying products for people who are blind.

Paths to literacy

The Paths to literacy website, a joint project between Perkins School for the Blind and the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired offers lots of literacy strategies for students who are blind.

Books from American Foundation for the Blind

The Burns Braille Transcription Dictionary has been revamped as the Burns Braille Guide to usher in the new era of Unified English Braille (UEB). This easy-to-use reference guide includes common braille to print and print to braille conversions, as well as punctuation, new UEB contractions, and general rules and terminology. Available in paperback, e-book, and online subscription.

This resource for educators teaching braille has been updated for using UEB. It includes new sections on general education literacy instruction, teaching the dual-media learner, adapting materials, and addressing diverse needs. Beginning with Braille also features new teaching materials, record forms, and braille activities. Available in paperback, e-book, and online subscription.

A teacher’s guide for addressing the needs of students who read print and/ or braille with a focus on supporting those who have, or who are at risk for developing reading disabilities. Includes strategies and classroom activities. Available in paperback, e-book, and online subscription